Winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means



June 26, 1945. I BRUGGER 2,378,978

WINDING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC SPOOL EXCHA-NGING MEANS Fil'd Nov. 12,1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y Inventor ll June 26, 1945. RUG GE 2,378,978

WINDING MACHINE WITH AUTOMA TIC SPOOL EXCHANGING MEANS Filed Nov. '12,1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June26, 1945. A, BRUGGER. 2,378,978

WINDING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC SPOOL EXCHANGING MEANS Filed Nov. 12,1943 s Sheets-Sheet s 68 e zi iifg' f Patented June 26; 1945 w llamas-1av n W N G' MA HINE wrm auroma'rlc m stool. EXQHANGING MEANS v s A b izgcr, norgenpswitzeriana 1 v F V e ptl cstion s ve te 12, 1943,Scheme-5101132 1 xlnGcngnanyMarch 17,1941 v l W -12-Glaims.Thisinvention' relates to winding niachincs withautomatic spoolexchanging means I l v flihewlnding ma hine according to the inven-121011 is formed with an endless spool magazine which is arrangedlaterally ofthe winding spindle axisor circumierentially thereof andpony prises a series of consecutive horiz ntal spool receivingpocketsthat are adapted tQjbB advanced for successively of delivery. i

v This arrangement does away c ssettes with astora e aontainer providedwith an automatic conveying the spools into position speel deliverydevice for supplying an endless feed device with; empty spools,andpermitson other hand the feeding of empty spools to the windingspindles from the ma azine in relatively simple and reliable manner Whilthe space dii ed for accommodating this arrangement is relatively small.Since for the delivery of a spool it suffices to feed the endless spoolmagazine the dis: tance of one pocket "division, idling movement andincident increased vwear and also the settin AdVantageQusIy, the spoolpockets arefspaced 0 615! asp fi ib ev for he r ose of Obtainins maximumpeceiving capacity for empty p s whi h, as shown; in n a saving shaft!for the actuation of. automatic sne l xchan means is mount dl Thecontainer 31s provided ith a lower outwardly projectingwcarrierbolt!) bywhich a casing '6 is so portedfi Thiscasing contains an endless chainwhich provides asppol magazine and is composed of horizontal pockets Iwhich are connected with link j ointsft. In the drawings the linkjoints8' interposed between the pockets are exaggerated in size for thepurpose of illustration. The pockets "are fofnarcuate cross sectionandare openat'both ends. The pocket chain I 8 thus formed passes over alower sp'rocket in the form of a guide sprocket 9 atup of oscillationsduring the operation are t avoided.

whichcan easily be placed by hand in th spool pockets that are empty,advantageously, on their frontsides; I k Three embodiments oftheinventionareillustrated, bir way of example only, intheaccom p nyindrawingsinwhich Fig, 1 shows a. elevation nartlv in section of a firstembodiment provided, within pocket ha n;

1 Fig. tion: V l v v Fig. 3 's aview thereof as seen from the lefthandSldeofFigJ; I

Fig. "4 shows anelevation partly in sectionof 2 is a topplan viewthereoipartly in sec:

Fig. 5isa top plan view thereof: j v t Fig, 6 is a detail view ofgripper means spools in tilting position;

go s a speci ic form of a! casi g containing the pocket chainjand 1 tFig. 8 shows affront elevation 01a bodiment comprising a cylindricalpocket carrier membery v v I Referring to the drawings the instantwinding for full having a gear box 1 which is arrangedon aframe and jromwhich the vwinding spindle} projects towards outside. On the same frameisarranged,

item the gear w l a. box l ke ontainer} in ranged on the bearing shaft 5and an upper guide sprocket I0 supported by ashatt'llp k j'lhesprockets9 and lliwhich are similar are each provided-with tourcircumferential concave surfaces; Whichcorrespond'in size to the arcuatecross section of the pookets I loathe reception oijwhich they serve. Theback wall or the casing this juxtaposed to one end face of the pockets 1of "the endless conveyor fchain. the oppotened which pivots on an "upperand a lower hinge l4 and screws (Fig, 3)" insueha way thatthe pivotallid, when in closed position, is placed at asmallr or greater distancefrom the open end of the casing 6.

On opening the pivotal lid 12 any emptypocketc 1 caneach be suppliedwithan empty'spool A which is insertable by hand into the pocket 1 it fromthe respective end face. The back wall of the casing 6 borders anddetermines atthe same time the depth of insertion-of the spools A unlessthe spools are pushed intothe-casinglfi by said lldup to the requireddepth, if necessary.

asecond embodimentincluding a pocket chain;

winding machine. s

spools are arranged within the casing 6 inaplthird m- 1 machine isassumed to bea cop winding'machine By means of the hinge pins -I8,Flg.3, the axis of hinging of the lid I2 is adjustable comment surate withthe lengthbf thespools used in the By this means the empty propriateposition for' being 'fed onward;

The pivotal lid Iris;advantageously,made-of transparent workingmaterial, to? exampleglass, thus permitting the irnmediatewiewing of'theemptyyspools A stored in the casing B; In the upperpart of the casing 6a lateral opening" 16 serving as an exit from the pockets Tfor'the in tdividual' emptyspools A is providedfor passing the spools to thewindingspindle 2 for the -purposeof being olampingly held tosaidfspindle by means of a counter holder (ndtljfshdwn); in a mannerknown per se. This counter holder can be coaxially arranged with thewinding spindle 2 by means of a supporting device and axially displacedagainst sprin influence.

On the termination of a winding on the spool clamped to the windingspindle 2 said spool is released, by automatic retraction of the counterholder, so-"ras' to fall"down. Thereupon, to; ,the winding spind1e2 afreshempty spool is supplied for which purpose the pocket chain 1, 8 isadwhich the two forked lever arms :25 convey the'I vanced the amount ofthe spacing of a pocket in 1 pocket chain 1, 8, into a positioncoaxially with which way each time a fresh empty spool is con-. veyeddirectly to the delivery position formed by I I the opening iii of thecasing 6.

In the first embodiment shown in Figs". 1 to 3 on the upper bolt ll ofthe casing 6 two discs I! (Fig. 2) are secured which are interconnectedby a group of four stop pins, that is, cross'pins l8 which are equallydistributed on the circumfer lv ence of the disc 11 By this means a feedmember is formed which is rigid: with the sprocket l and the cross pinsl8 of which cooperate with a feed rod l8 which is pivotally connectedwith a control lever (Fig. 3), which, due to being spring-influencedbears againsta cam disc 22 by means of a roller 2 I, the camdiscrotating together with the driving shaft 4. I f

For the purpose of effecting the spool exchanging operationautomatically the driving shaft 4 is advanced in a manner known per seat the end of each rotation after the winding of a spool is completed onthe winding spindle 2, wherebythe feed rod I9 isreciprocated in itslongitudinal direction from the cam disc viathe control'lever 2|]. Byuide means (not shown) the lateral movement of the feedrod i9, islimited which rod moves, whenshifting in one direction of throw, thefeed member [1,18 and thus the guide sprocket it) the amount ofone,,quarter of a revolution by which means the pocket chain I, 8 .isadvanced for one division. In the course of this operation'the feed rod19 assumes temporarily a position, as shown in chain-dottedlines in Fig.V1, in which this rod engages with one of the cross pins 18.

In the. courseof each advance feed of the pocket 6 chain I, 8,:a:.-spring-pressed,locking lever 23,

which is fulcrumed on a" projection 24 on the casing 6 is: automaticallypositioned underneath a cross pin IE on the pair of discs l'l sothatthepocket'chain is prevented from backward movement. By this meansitheprecise feeding of the pocket chain 1, 8 step by step is warranted,which isparticularlyimportant insofar as the pocket chain 1, 8-tends tomove ,backwardly when the chain length'shown on the righthand side inFig.

1 outweighs that shown on the left hand sideby effect of theempty spoolscarried thereby. This happens obviously particularly :at the times whenthe left hand chain length is within the embrace of the'spooldeliverypositionjfi.

From the pocketlof the pocket chain 1,, 8 arriving at the positionofdeliverylfi the empty spool'rolls away by action of its own weight soas to maintain a predetermined position, therolling having been impartedthereto by the V arcuate guide surface presentedto it, in order to' ibeproperly received by two forked lever arms 25. The: forked lever arms 25are mounted on supporting arms 26 which are extensible in thelongitudinal direction by means of screws 21 relative to a mounting arm28; By means of the mounting arms 28 the two supporting arms 26 aresecured to a common shaft 29 whichhas its bearings 30 in the casing6.;With anarm 3| fastened to the shaft 29 engages a connecting rod 32which is articulated to a control lever 33 which, due to beingspring-influenced bears, by means of a cam disc 35, against a roller 34,which rotates together with the driving shaft 4.

On each revolution of the driving shaft 4 the bearer arms 26, 28 arepivotally adjusted to the left in regard to Fig. 1 from the cam, disc 35via the parts 34, 33, 32, 3| and 29,-in conjunction with empty spool,which had been received, while the preceding feed step had been effectedby the 1 thewindingspindle 2 to which the spool is subsequentlyclampedby means of the counter holder, Thereupon the bearer arms 26, 28 swingback into initial position whilst the forked lever arms 25, as indicatedin chaindotted lines in Fig. 1,

disengage from the clampingly fixed spool by wiping-across the latter.This effect is due to the forked lever arms 25 pivotally moving againstthe spring force of tension springs which normally hold the-forked leverarms 25'ina' predetermined position of rest relative to the supportingarms 26; The supporting arms 23 areaadjust able relativeto the mountingarms 28by means of the necte'd the 'upper end portion of which engageswith a guide 40. on the gear box I and is provided withv a stop pin 4|for cooperation witlr'a' bellcrank lever 42' which is pivotedtothecasing Bat 43. The tripping rod '39 cooperating by means of thestop pinj4 l with the laterally directed arm of the "bell crank lever 42has its second depending-arm formed as a locking pawl 44; i Y

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the locking pawl 44 projects into engagementwith the lowerportion of a-bolt '45 on a pivotal bottom-of a box A!which is open on top and is secured the ca's ing 6 and serves forintercepting the full spool which had been released'from thewindingspindie 2; The full spool received by the box: 41 drops outthroughthelower end of the box into aremovable receptacle when thepivotal bottom 46 swings into the "chain-dotted position indicated inFig. 1. This operation takes place automatically at predetermined timesby, downward movement of the tripping rod 39 by action oflthe cam disc36 through the intervention of the parts 31, 38, so that the bell. cranklever .42 ,is swung out by the stop pin 41 in suchmannerthatjthelocking, pawl 44 releases the bolt 45, whereupon the pivotal bottom 46swings from its oblique'position about its axis 43$ downwardly until: ithits a bolt- 49 on the t'ripping rod 39. l Dueto the fact that thepivotal bottom.46, swings fromj closing position, 1 into positionfofmaximum "opening of which the locking pawl .44 engages againwitli p p2,878,978 the bolt' lso as a secure the pivotal bottom as in closingposition again.

In the exemplificationiof the machine described the empty spool isconveyed towards the t winding spindle 2 from out of the stationarycasing 6 including the pocket chain I, 8 by means of thepivotalfeeddevice composed of theparts25,

25,28 andZS. l In contrast therewith in the second exemplification theempty spool is supplied to the winding spindle 2.by the casing 6 itself,due to this casing, which contains thepocket chain I, 8 also in thiscase, -being swingably arranged. To this end the lower bearing bolt 5'serves as a pivot for shaft 4 (Fig52) as shownfor the firstexemplification, while the automatic spool exchanging operation takesplace. Inthe second exemplification two forked lever arms 53 arearranged, within the embrace of thespool deliveryposition it provided onthe casing 6, in a manner similar to the arrangement of thetwo leverarms 25 used in the first exemplification. The lever arms 53 are mountedon a supporting member 54 which isadjustable. as to height relative tothe casing 5 by means of a slot guideand cooperativescrews '55 inappropriate quirements.

position dependent upon re- The empty spool livery l6 ofthe casing 6 bymeans of the pocket chain 1, 8 isreceived by the two forked lever armsconveyed to the position of deto bear on the two legs forming theangular cross section of thetrough '51 by which means "the position :ofthe spool is definedn When the casing 5 for. the purpose of suppyling anempty spool to thewinding spindlez swings out of position of rest thetrough 5] maintains its positiontrela'tive to the casing 6 by the pin.61 on the disc 60 sliding along the lower-longitudinal side of the stoplever Gil. 3 The casing 6 in swinging back into position or restoperates to movethe stud Glinto driving engagement with a mating rest 65on the stop lever 63 in such manner that the pin BI is kept frommovement by said rest 65 in consequence whereof the disc 60 turns aboutits axis,

thereby tilting thetrough 51; for thepurpose of delivering the fullspool into a removable-receptacle; The tilting movement of the trough'51 is on the verge to come to an end if as shown in Fig. 6 the pin 62on the disc 6| hits the stop lever '63, whereupon the lever 63 is raisedin appropriate manner for permitting the pin 61 on the disc 60 todisengage from the rest 65 on the stop lever 63, andthen thetrough 51 isswung back into position of rest shown in Fig. 4 by action of thetension spring 84.

As evident from Fig.-7 theilower end of the casing 6 is equipped with apatterned cappiece B5 on the entrance side of the casing. This piece 65is provided with a roundedout central recess 51 and two lateral recesses68 arranged symmetrically thereto. The recesses 61 and 68 .aresocoordinated in regard to position, form andsize.

with corresponding inserting positions within the range of the lowerpoint of reversal of the endlesspocket chain that, as will be seen bycomparison of Figs. 1 and 4, so to speak a guide is 53 "and insertedbetween the winding spindle and the counter holder (not shown) as thecasing is 1 swung out of position of rest in order to be clamped inwinding position. Thereupon the casing 6 swings back into position ofrest in the course of whichmovementtheforked lever arms 53 wipe over theclamped spool, as indicated in chain-dottedlines in Fig. 4, by swingingabout their pivot axes on the? supporting member 54 against springinfluence. In the course of the swinging movementof the casing 6intoinoperative position a control lever 56 mounted on the gear box Ieffects the feeding of the pocket chain obtainedwhich facilitates theinsertion of empty spools into the chain. The cap piece 55 coverssurfaces of the casing B onthe entrance side thereof thatcarryarticulations through which the spool pockets are connected with; eachother l, 8 by one division, due to the hook like end of the'feed lever56 catching a cross pin H! on a feed disc" "so that the latter thenrotates for one quarter of a revolution. When the casing 5 swings out ofposition of rest again another cross pin is on the feed lever II movesbehind the hook like end of the control lever 56 for being caught by thelatter for effecting afurther feed movement by the disc l1. and thus bythe pocket chain 1, or one step.

Thefull spools being released from the windingspindle 2 in the coure ofthe spool exchanging operation are in this instance alternatelyintercepted by a trough 51 which has an angular cross section and. ismounted atits end faces by means of studs 58 on arrnsjof-acarrierstirrup 59 fastenedjto the casing One of the studs 58 carbox I. Atensionspring 64 tends to retain the trough 51 in the position of restshown in Fig. 4

in which the trough '51 bears againstthe casing 6 by one of itslongitudinal edges. 3 "The spool droppinginto thetrough?! in the upperendthereof.

by which means inadvertent inserting'oi spools between two adjacentpockets of the chain '1, 8 is practically made impossible. For thepurpose of facilitatingin a, similar manner, the proper insertingofempty spools also within the embrace of. the upper'point of reversal ofthe endless pocket chain the casing including the pocket chain isprovided with a correspondingly pat terned cap piece on the entranceside also at the The two guide prisms for the endless pocket chain maybe dismountably arranged on their bearing bolts for allowing of beinginterchanged with other sprockets having different chain or pocketdivisions if the pocket chain must be exchanged for another chain withcorresponding divisions.

The spool magazine formed by the pocket chain, which servesat the sametime as a conveyer, can naturally be built in any size as required.

Instead of forming an endless chain by articulating the spool pocketsdirectly to each other the pockets may be arranged, upon choice, also onone or more chains. t

In the third exemplificationj shown in Fig. I a the horizontal spoolpockets 1 are arranged in, an annular row about a horizontal axle 69..The

spool pockets 1 are provided on the outside of a cylindricalliner mwhich is supported by the axle Bland is fed step by step so as to conveythe pockets or empty spools successively to the position of delivery i6.An outer circumferential course of the spoolexchanging operation comesendless tapes, ropes or carrier ring H or the like retains the spools inthepockets.

1 .until they arrive at theposition of'delivery l6.

' rier is secured'against backward movement by a. locking device ina=manner similarto that explained in connectionwith the two precedinglydescribed exemplifications. Also in such arrangeev ments Walls may be.used as stop means for the end faces of the spools-as explained inthetwo previous exemplifications. 1

It will be seen that, in general, the spool mag azine instead of beingarranged on the righthand side of the windingspindle, that is the axisof said spindle, i shown m deal and 4., may date arranged on tileieitiiandside er, if required,

directly above or below the axis of the winding spindle, that is, on theupper or under side of said spindle. In other words the spool magazinemay be arranged in any desirecl,position, for example, laterally of thewinding spindle on any side thereof or all around the same. For thepurposes of the invention the mterstice between two adjacent spoolpockets is kept as si'nallv as possible,

should be smaller than th clear xridth of a ocket.

I claim: 1. In a Winding machine with aueomatie spool exchanging led.e01 n1; spind e. a se c wit magaz o dlvlclllally advancing said poolsinto said. delilvery Facsition, and means for automatically movlng saldlever means into locking engagement with said stop means for preventingbackward movement of said magazine. I

,2. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an end: less movable spool magazinearrangedcollaterally of the axis of said winding spindle, a, series ofconsecutive spool receiving pockets arranged in said magazine, aposition of spool delivery defined by said magazine adjacent to saidwinding spindle for successively delivering said spools to said windinspindle, feed means associated with said magazine for individuallyadvancing said spools into said delivery position, a group of stopsassociated with said magazine and serving for effecting said advancingmovements of said magazine, locking lever means arranged for automaticcooperation with said stop means, and means for automatically movingsaid levermeans into locking engagement with the respective said stopsfor preventing backward movement of said magazine. a A

3. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging'means, a windingspindle, an endless movable spoolmagazine arranged, collaterally of theaxis of said winding spindlesaid' endless articulated spool magazinehaving points: of reversal of movement, a series of consecutive and,

spool. receiving pockets arranged in said mega zine, said pockets beingof, arcuate cross section, guide sprockets arranged at said points ofreversal and having recesses corresponding in cross section to thearcuate cross section of said pockets, a, position of spool deliverydefined by said magazine adjacent to said winding spindle forsuccessively delivering said spools to said winding spindle, and feedmeans associated with said magazin for individually advancing saidspools into said delivery position.

,4,. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an end-, lessmovable spool magazine arrangedcollaterally of the axis of said winding spindle, a series ofconsecutive spool receiving pockets arranged in said magazine, two wallsconfronting said magazine at opposite ends of said pockets serving flierretaining the spools received in said pockets in a predeterminedlongitudinally posite tpdti Old 001 ttliiti iidiiii did magazineadjacent to said winding spindle for successivelyv delivermg said spoolsto said winding spindle withthe. individual spools being in saidpredetermined longitudinal position, and feed means associated with saidmagazine for individuallly advancing said spools into said deliveryposition. 7 I

5. In a. winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, a,winding sp n e, an. endless movable spool ,magazine arrangedcollaterally of the axis of said winding Spindle, a, Series of eoseu'tiv spool receiving Pockets anseed in 531d magatwo zine at erv'nngreceived in said pockets s ance between. 55.

the length of spool used, a position of spool delivery defined by saidmagazine adjacent to said winding spindle for successively deliveringsaid spools to said winding spindle with the individualspools being insaid longitudinal position, and feed means associated with said magazinefor individually advancing said spools into said delivery position.

7. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, a windingspindle, an endless movable spool magazine arranged collaterally of theaxis of said winding spindle, a series of consecutive spool receiving,pockets arranged in said magazine, a'wall confronting said magazine atone end of said pockets and constituting a part of;a casing, a pivotallid made of transparent material arranged on said casing in front of theother end of said pockets in opposite rela-'- tion to said casingwall,.fsaid wall and saidlid ,asvaevs serving for retaining the spoolsreceived in said pockets in a predetermined longitudinal position, aposition of spool delivery defined by said magazine adjacent to saidwinding spindle for successively delivering said spools to said windingspindle with the individual spools being in said predeterminedlongitudinal position, and

feed means associated with said magazine for.

individually advancing said spools into said delivery position.

i 8. In a winding machine with automatic, spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an endless movable spool magazine arranged collaterallyof the axis of said winding spindle, a seriesof consecutive spoolreceiving pockets arranged in. said magazine, a position of spooldelivery defined by said magazine adjacent to said winding. spindle,pivotal conveyor means arrangedat said delivery position forautomatically successively delivering said spoolsto, said windingspindle by pivotal movement of said conveyer means, and

feed means associated with said magazine for individually advancing saidspools into said delivery position,

9. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, a.winding spindle, an endless movable spool magazine arranged collaterallyof the axis of said winding spindle for pivotal movement relativeutosaid spindle, a series of consecutive spool receiving pockets arrangedin said magazine, a position of spool delivery defined by said magazineadjacent to said winding spindle for successively delivering said spoolsto said Winding spindle by pivotal movement of said spool magazine, andfeedmeans associated with said magazine for individually advancing saidspools into said delivery position; l

10. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an endless movable spool magazine arranged collater=ally of the axis of said winding spindle, a series of consecutive spoolreceiving pocketstarranged in said magazine, a position of spooldelivery de fined by said magazine adjacent to said winding spindle for,successively delivering said spools to said winding spindle for beingwound with the material supplied to the machine, feed means associatedwith said magazine for individually advancing said empty spools intosaid delivery position, means forreleasing the full spools from saidwinding spindle, a vessel for intercepting said released full spools, apivotal bottom on said vessel sustaining said full spools, and meansassociated with said bottom for automatically temporarily opening saidbottom, thereby discharging said released full spools.

11. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an endless movable spool magazine arranged collaterallyof the axis of said winding spindle, a series of consecutive spoolreceiving pockets arranged in said magazine, a, position of spooldelivery defined by said magazine adjacent to said winding spindle forsuccessively delivering said spools to said winding spindle for beingwound with the material supplied to the machine, feed means associatedwith said magazine for individually advancing, said empty spools intosaid delivery position, means for releasing the full spools from saidwinding spindle, a vessel, for intercepting said released full spools, apivotal bottom on said vessel sustaining said full spools, meansassociated with said bottom for automatically temporarily moving saidbottom into oblique position, and means for holding said bottom in. saidoblique position for discharging said full spools over said obliquelyadjusted bottom.

12. In a winding machine with automatic spool exchanging means, awinding spindle, an endless movable spool magazine arrangedcollaterposition, means for releasing the full spools from said windingspindle, a tiltable trough. for inter- "cepting said released fullspools, and means for automatically temporarily tilting said vessel outof position of rest, thereby discharging said released full spools. U i

ALBERT BRUGGER.

